The clashes with Israeli security forces that supposedly could have spread to the rest of the territories began, as expected, in the areas around Jerusalem. But sound management of the security forces' response and complete apathy on the part of the Palestinian public brought an end to the demonstrations. Despite calls to engulf the area in flames, there were hardly any injuries and no ripple effect throughout the West Bank.

In television footage of protesters in other world cities where Muslims sought to show "solidarity with Al-Aqsa" - in Istanbul for example - it appeared the demonstrator numbers were greater than those in the villages near Jerusalem.

There are many reasons for this. The residents of the West Bank are tired of violent confrontations, no less when their living conditions are improving, many roadblocks are being lifted and law and order in the Palestinian towns has been restored. Hamas may declare a "Day of Rage," but such days are rare nowadays in the West Bank. Desperation has been made more comfortable.

Second, there has been a lack of leadership and no one is out there capable of rallying the masses and organizing demonstrations at more than one place at the same time. The Islamic Movement is absent from the West Bank, Hamas avoids taking action, fearing that the Palestinian Authority would take action against it, and Fatah makes do with a declaration of a general strike on a Friday - the day considered to be the day off.

It seems the only people complaining about the choice of Friday are school students, who prefer to have a school day off. One of the main Fatah figures for organizing demonstrations in 2000 was not sure whether demonstrations for Al-Aqsa had been planned in Ramallah. "I don't think so," he said.

One thing is certain: There is a growing divide between the Palestinians in the West Bank and those in the Gaza Strip, as Fatah and Hamas become entrenched in their respective enclaves.

At 12:20 P.M. on Friday, while vitriol against Israel continued from the mosque, some youths began setting tires on fire near the Qalandiyah roadblock, south of Ramallah. A 40-something Palestinian who owns a shop in the area walked up to them, obviously angry.

"Don't set the tires on fire. If you want. burn the trees, the furniture, but not tires." Asked by Haaretz about what advice he would give, he explains that the smoke from the burning tires is bad for the children's health in the refugee camp.

Meanwhile a truck arrives, loaded with tires, and dumps them 20 meters away, and three passengers start setting them on fire. The driver says he brought the tires from Jerusalem. A dozen youths are still waiting for reinforcements.

At 12:50, the first stones are flung. A group of children, 10 years old or so, are throwing stones, and the army is firing tear gas. But the wind is "against the Jews," according to one of the Palestinians. The gas flies into the soldiers' eyes, but teary-eyed, they keep firing tear gas.